The Hallett was the largest and most powerful boat on Rainy Lake. The 60 foot, 57 ton boat was built by Russell Brothers of Owen Sound. After construction, the boat was transported in pieces by railway flat car and reassembled here for the Pulp and Paper Mill.
The Hallett was later modified to make it more suitable for pulling booms across the Lake. A change from a single to a double rudder was necessary to make the boat stable, an early towing attempt laid the boat on its side. Other renovations occured, including once as a result of fire. Descpite the engines being changed and other minor alterations, the Hallett’s essential function remained unchanded until its retirement.
The Hallett was used extensively in hauling logs until 1974. During an average year, teh Hallett made twenty round trips of one hundred miles each, hauling 70,000 to 90,000 cords of wood a year in average tows of 4-5,000 cords of wood, a mile in size. Modernization of woodland operations and environmental concernsled to the demise of the lake drive. It became more economical to use a pulp truck, carrying 40 cords per load to bring logs for paper production.
In 1983, the Hallett was placed in Pither’s Point Park. Restoration was completed by the Fort Frances Museum. Source: http://museum.fort-frances.com/tour.

A three engine installation on the warping tug "Hallett". Two main engines are Cummins diesels used only for the tug propulsion. An auxillary Cummins diesel drives the warping set. It will be noticed that plenty of room is available in the engine room. Photo from Company Brochure Circular 46A, Steelcraft Warping Tugs

Hallett: original shipping photos from Owen Sound Russel yard.Thanks to Patric Ryan for providing these images and documents. These 32 year old photocopies of the original Russel photos were included in the Russel valuation of the Hallett (by E.M. Cordrey) Dec. 23, 1975.

Aug. 19, 2008:This front page newspaper article based on Fort Frances Captain Arden Barnes' research profiles early logging practice and the Russel built Hallett and the Russel Brothers company origins in Fort Frances, Ontario.